


Clean Up

by BlueDarknessIceHeart



Series: The Beat of Moth's Wings [1]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Blood and Injury, Bullying, Developing Relationship, F/M, Growing Up Together, Mentions of Racism, Not Canon Compliant, Partial Nudity, Pre-Relationship, Violence, terrible flirting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-21
Updated: 2018-03-21
Packaged: 2019-04-05 15:46:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14047566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueDarknessIceHeart/pseuds/BlueDarknessIceHeart
Summary: The fact that they would take on the world for each other was well known in Overwatch.What wasn't known enough was that Admete and Gabriel met at the ripe old age of six, when she'd moved from Texas to California. That they spent most of their years dancing around the fact they couldn't flirt to save their lives. That taking on the world started with a few fist fights, patching up injuries in his kitchen, all the way to the truly old age of eighteen and still trying to just make it out of high school.





	Clean Up

She was just old enough to see that the new place she called home was brighter in places - but that there were a lot more people who didn't seem so nice. 

Admete didn't fit - the country drawl clung to her words and she was so painfully not from L.A. 

It was only a matter of time until someone amongst the cluster of first graders decided she was a nice enough target - wild curls for hair and eyes that hadn't quite clicked into their full hue yet. 

Words didn't bother her, she was pushing seven and knew enough from dealing with her father that shrugging them off did her a world of good. 

It was the first time someone bothered to lay a hand on her, too tight of a grab to spin her around to face them, that she finally retaliated. 

Of course that's how she cemented her friendship with Gabriel - the one kid in the class that never joined in on trying to drag her down - at the tender ages of six and three quarters (if you asked) and with Admete shaking out the pain from her hand. 

It was simple, a very soft but awe-struck "Are you okay" as she stared at her knuckles. 

" 'M fine. Thank you, Gabriel." 

"Gabe works." 

Admete offered a smile, the gap where a canine should be obvious. 

"Thanks Gabe." 

"You might wanna hide." 

"On it." 

\- - - -

Admete had learned how to punch properly on her own, took to fist fights like breathing. 

"You can't keep scrapping with people in alleys, Admete." 

Gabriel sighed, swiping blood off of her face so he could inspect her eye. 

"Where's the fun in that, Gabe?" 

"Living to see sixteen." 

She waited until he dropped his hands from her face to push his hair out of his eyes, the curls sticking to his skin in the heat of summer. 

"If you're going to keep your hair long, pull it up ya' fuckin' nerd." 

"You can tell me what to do with my hair when you actually manage to not take a hit to the face." 

"Touche' "

\- - - -

Gabriel was actually impressed his closest friend had managed to settle down before their senior year of high school. 

It didn't _quite_ last. 

Admete dropped her school bag, blood dripping down her chin from her nose and a bruise already blossoming across her cheek. 

"Jesus." 

"If only." 

"What-" 

"Gabe, I actually _really_ don't want to recount what just happened. For both of our sakes." it was the way she held up her hand that let him see the extent of the damage - knuckles raw and bruised, spattered with dried blood. 

Gabriel placed her on the counter and she dug her nails into his flesh. 

"Ribs-" 

"Jesus, Admete, what _happened?_ " 

She didn't answer, just dropped her hand from his shoulder and waved him on. 

The clean up of carnage had become routine over the years for both of them, wiping away blood and wrapping up wounds in gauze. 

It was Gabriel carefully feeling for anything dramatically out of place that was new, Admete's shirt tossed into the floor. 

"You're kinda cute when you blush, Gabe." 

"Are you sure you didn't take a severe hit to the head?" 

"Yep. Also, you can press harder than that I won't break more than I probably already am. And your mom is going to find this really weird if she comes home to it." Admete's eye roll was met with one of his own and she snorted. 

"It doesn't feel like anything is broken. Do you want to tell me what actually happened now?" Gabriel spoke as he grabbed yet another ice pack and gauze wrap to hold it to her skin. 

It was quiet for a moment. 

"Look, Gabe, we've always had each other's backs no matter what whatever the situation. That doesn't end just because one of us isn't there." 

"Well, that's a bit obvious. Quit dodging." 

"Say shit get hit. Say really racist shit, get hit even fucking harder." she finished speaking as Gabriel stepped back, her bared canines still tinted pink with blood.

"Admete-" 

"Hey, no," she placed her hand on his cheek and smiled - careful to keep her teeth hidden, "It's not your fault and it's not entirely mine, but thank you for patching me up. Again. As you always do." 

She was gently moved off of the counter, a mess of gauze wrap and ice, Gabriel nearly holding her up. 

"Are you sure you don't just want me to carry you?"

"Gabe, I'm injured not a damsel in distress. I'm not the one that gets all cute and blushy at the sight of a girl without a top." 

"Keep talking." 

"I mean, that can be arranged - see, I have a mouth, and the ability to speak-" 

Gabriel clapped a hand carefully over her mouth. 

"Admete _shush_." 

Their eyes locked, brown and hazel in a moment of recognition. 

"Admete don't-" 

She swiped her tongue across his palm in a slow sweep and was grinning as he yanked his hand away. 

"You're a jackass, Reina." 

"Love ya."


End file.
